A story about the Gordie Howe International Bridge is coming to the big screen.
Draw Me a Bridge, a documentary by former Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean and Canadian filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond, makes its premiere at the Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF).
The movie is supported by Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) and Aecon, one of the private-sector partners for the project. It explores the significance of the new international crossing and the relationship between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan.
“It is a very powerful metaphor. I think there are many hopes for this bridge,” says Jean.
That perspective is central to Draw Me a Bridge, which examines the partnerships and shared aspirations surrounding the project.
Building a Landmark
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is the result of years of planning, collaboration and construction, bringing together thousands of workers and expertise from around the world.
Construction began in October 2018 on the bridge, two ports of entry in Canada and the US and the connection to Interstate 75 in Michigan. The bridge has the longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge in North America and the longest composite steel and concrete deck in the world. It also features a toll-free, multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.
Benefits Beyond the Bridge
The project’s impact extends beyond the infrastructure itself.
A Community Benefits Plan featured a Workforce Development and Participation Strategy to engage businesses and support workforce, training and apprenticeship opportunities. It also featured a $23 million Neighbourhood Infrastructure Strategy that supported 71 initiatives in the host communities of Sandwich/west Windsor and Delray/Southwest Detroit. By investing in parks, food security, arts and culture, safety programs and active transportation, the Gordie Howe International Bridge is leaving a legacy on both sides of the border.
The documentary offers an opportunity to reflect on the benefits through the perspectives of people who witnessed and contributed to the development of the bridge and the communities it serves.
“It’s a very special link that goes beyond the bridge itself,” says Jean. “The enduring impact will be reflected in how it connects Windsor and Detroit as well as the benefits it brings to the communities, the people and the generations who will call this region home.”
A Collective Achievement
More than 15,800 people logged over 20.1 million hours of work to deliver one of the region’s most significant infrastructure endeavours.
For WDBA, supporting the film is an opportunity to help share a story with the bridge at the centre, recognizing it role and significance to the Windsor-Detroit region.
“The Gordie Howe International Bridge represents the vision and commitment of thousands of people who worked together to bring this project to completion,” said Chuck Andary, WDBA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer. “The documentary captures not only the efforts of those people but also the symbolic meaning of the project to the host communities who have supported and participated in the process to deliver the bridge over the last two decades.”
A new chapter for Windsor and Detroit
With the six-lane bridge now open to traffic and its multi-use path welcoming pedestrians, runners and cyclists, it is connecting the region in new ways.
Draw Me a Bridge invites audiences to look beyond the structure itself and consider the people and relationships that give the bridge its meaning.
The documentary will premiere at WIFF at 6:15pm on Wednesday, November 4. Tickets are still available.
